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Cisco Celebrates 20 Years of Connecting Thailand and Digitizing the Economy

BANGKOK, THAILAND--(Marketwired - Nov 27, 2014) - Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in IT, celebrates 20 years of operations in Thailand, having played a key role in digitizing the economy and transforming Thailand. Cisco technologies, expertise and solutions have been embraced by business and organizations in, changing the way Thais' work, live, play and learn. For example, Cisco played a crucial role in building the first Internet PoPs (Points of Presence) with a commercial service provider, Internet Thailand Co. Ltd (now known as "Internet Thailand Public Company Limited or INET) which went "live" on 1st March, 1995.

"Cisco plays a critical role in enabling a transformation in Thailand through information and communications technologies and our expertise and vision mirrors Thailand's aspirations for a 'Connected Digital Economy'. Over the last 20 years, Cisco has collaborated with businesses, educational institutions and government agencies across the region to use the network as a platform for transforming economies, communities and society. We are focused on creating strategic, relevant and sustainable programs by supporting economic empowerment through programs that develop skills, increase employment opportunities and driving community enablement. Helping people connect and collaborate are a part of our core values and now it's totally proven that these have helped transform business, and driven productivity, economic development, and social enablement around the world. Looking ahead, the role of the network will be increasingly important for innovation, and productivity in all industries," said Vatsun Thirapatarapong, country manager for Cisco in Thailand and IndoChina.

Cisco also made significant contributions to bridging the digital divide in Thailand by developing ICT skills and networking knowledge through its Networking Academy® program. Since the program's inception in 1998, Cisco has trained more than 34,960 students through its 45 education institution partners. More than 36% of these students are female. The Networking Academy Program is the flagship of Cisco's social investment programs worldwide and uses a public-private partnership model with educational institutions, nonprofits, governments and other international and local agencies.

"I'm excited by what the future will bring for Thailand, seeing the government's recently announced five themes to build a 'Digital Economy'. Cisco and our ecosystem of partners are committed to drive the development and implementation of hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, service infrastructure, digital skills and innovation, and a digital society. Critical to the success of this vision for a digital economy is a robust and secure broadband infrastructure that can grow with the current of 26 million Internet users in Thailand," said Vatsun.

"In addition, the 'Internet of Everything', which connects things, data, people and process will expand how the world will benefit from the connecting the unconnected. By increasing the adoption of digital technologies to connect stakeholders, customers, employees, investors, and partners, we can connect Thailand and beyond that, connect ASEAN," continued Vatsun.

"Tomorrow really does start now for Thailand," he concluded.

Cisco History:The concept of connecting the unconnected has been with Cisco since 1984. The husband and wife team of Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner wanted to email each other from their respective offices located in different buildings but were unable to do so because of technological shortcomings. Beginning to experiment with connecting detached networks, Bosack and Lerner ran network cables between two buildings on the Stanford campus, connecting them first with bridges, and then routers. Their vision was to enable disparate networks to talk with one another and share information reliably. With that idea in mind, the multi-protocol router was born.

Since then Cisco has shaped the future of the Internet by creating unprecedented value and opportunity in using the network as a platform for transforming how people connect, communicate and collaborate.

About CiscoCisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com. Cisco products are supplied in Thailand by the channel partners of Cisco Systems International Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company